Another One Of Those
by reddwarfaddict
Summary: The Doctor and Rose visit a Fortune Teller. Another random plotless fluff plot bunny midnight attack kind of story. I do seem to get them quite frequently. Someone ought to shoot those bunnies, y'know.


**A/N: **Disclaimer: As much as I'd love to get chased by crazy DW fans waving sharpened pitchforks and flaming torches demanding that Rose is to be brought back, no, I do not own Doctor Who.

I've never been to a fortune-teller in my life, so it's not gonna be accurate. Not proof-read.

Damn those plot-bunnies.

* * *

"WHY DID I LET YOU TALK ME INTO GOING ON THIS?!" the Doctor screamed, absolutely mortified as he gripped Rose's hand tightly. "WHY?!"

"IT WASN'T ME!!!" she screamed back, squeezing tighter on his hand as the fairground ride went upside-down, and the only thing separating them from the ground far, far below was a flimsy safety mechanism holding them rigid in their seats. "YOU SAW IT!!!"

"YOU WANTED TO GO ON IT!!!" the Doctor yelled back over both the din of the wind and the terrified screams of the people sat either side of them. "YOU PAID FOR IT!!!"

"OH MY GOD I FEEL SICK!!!"

"SO DO I!"

"HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN ON THIS RIDE?!"

"ABOUT FIVE SECONDS!!!"

Rose tried to defy the laws of gravity and turn her head to the right in hopes of seeing the Doctor, but only succeeded in whacking her head hard several times against the plastic seat she was strapped to.

"I THINK I'M GONNA PASS OUT!!!" she managed to yell against the tremendous amount of G-Force acting on her cheeks.

"JOIN THE CLUB!!!" she heard the Doctor yell back as she managed to catch a glimpse of the hand gripping hers so tightly. Considering at Christmas that hand had been sliced off and regrown and therefore, in Rose's eyes, entirely detachable, it was holding out pretty well.

She closed her eyes and mentally kicked herself for choosing this ride, just because it looked 'cool'. Well, that wasn't strictly true. She wanted to go on it to show-off she could handle Earth machines way better than he could. Although that wasn't really true, the Doctor still looked a little greener than he'd be ready to admit.

"I think it's slowin' down…" she said, more to herself than the Doctor – but judging by the fact she could hear herself without having to shout; it was probably true.

"Is it over?" he whimpered, and she readjusted her grip on his hand as the ride began to rotate back to a horizontal position, decreasing in knots as it did so.

"It's over…" she confirmed as it came to a juddery halt. The safety equipment swung up automatically and the grip on her hand immediately loosened and the next thing she knew, the Doctor was standing infront of her. He was as white as ghost and trembling all over, but he still had the strength to help Rose down the two feet or so to the ground.

"Uggh…I can't see the exit…everything's blurry…" the Doctor protested as he draped an arm around her shoulders to try and support himself on two feet.

"Over there I think…" Rose mumbled, equally as dazed, using the Doctor to get herself to her destination – so in effect they were leaning on each other whilst trying to aim for the exit gate.

"You are not getting me on one of those _ever _again…" The Doctor nodded courteously to the ride operator in his control box, who was just staring at all the dizzy passer-bys with mild amusement.

"Want an ice-cream?" she asked him as they retreated to an out of the way bench by a hotdog stand, the Doctor lying across the bench with his head in Rose's lap.

"You've _got _to be kidding me…" he groaned, looking up at her with his hand on his stomach. "I don't think I'll be able to eat ever again…"

Rose grinned down at him, redoing his chaotic hair that had been blown about during the ride.

"I guess I win?" she asked with a smile, and he just rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Yes, you win, can we go home now?"

"Oi, you're not getting' out of it that easy, y'know,"

"What?" he asked, innocently, subtly enjoying her fingers running through and messing with his hair. "I've served my sentence."

"You promised to do five things with me. You've done: the roller coaster, the virtual space ride-"

"Unrealistic!"

Rose ignored him. "The hoop game…"

"I won you that teddy bear you wanted!"

"…And that ride we just did. That's four. You still owe me one."

The Doctor sighed dejectedly, pushing himself up and out of her lap, onto his feet.

"Okay. But I get to choose it. Deal?"

"Deal."

The Doctor offered his hand to her, which she took tightly as she pulled herself up next to him.

"Hmm…what to pick…" he pondered, starting off through the moving rides and packed stalls at a slow, easy-going pace. "What to pick…"

"How about…" Rose started, just about to raise her free hand to another ride, but the Doctor was quick to cut her off.

"Shh! I'm looking! Oh, _hello…"_

The Doctor stopped dead in his tracks; Rose crashing into him without the warning, and she probably would have fallen over if he hadn't caught her as she stumbled.

"Sorry!" the Doctor said with a laugh, pulling her back upright again as he tried to avoid her evil glare. "Look!"

Rose followed the path of his finger over to a mudland clearing, where there was a bouncy castle, a Merry-Go-Round, bumper cars and a small red and blue striped tent with a sign marked '**FORTUNE TELLER**' in messy print. Assuming he meant the bumper cars, she gave him a playful shove and a smile that could probably even melt the plastic of the bumper cars.

"As long as I can drive!" She grinned up at him, but he just shook his head in a negative.

"No, I meant the bouncy castle!"

Rose stared at him. "…You're kiddin', right?" But his face was serious.

He looked down at her, not hiding his blatant disappointment. "…No go?"

"Doctor…that's for children. I mean, physical children. Children who are…children, not adults who have minds of children - like you."

He sighed, his disappointment really making her cripple as she began to feel sorry for him. He scuffed his shoes on the ground and sniffed loudly.

"…Merry-Go-Round…?"

"Doctor!"

"Fine! We'll go to the fortune teller!" he stuck his nose in the air like an annoyed five-year-old who'd just been denied a strawberry ice cream, sticking his hands in his pockets and strutting over to the red and blue striped tent.

"Doctor!" Rose called after him, jogging to make up the pace. "Slow down!"

"It's all garbage anyway," the Doctor called over his shoulder, just outside the tent entrance. "It's a bunch of weird looking old women making a hobby out of tell people they're going to die."

Rose was by him now, taking back his hand that she had rightfully donned as hers now. "Oh, I dunno about that," she mused, "pretty accurate last time I went to one, now I think about it…"

* * *

"_Rooooose Tyler!" the old woman cawed, her old wrinkled hands waving back and forth over a clear glass sphere. "You will meet a tall dark stranger wearing a lush leather jacket named the Doctor, you will travel around the Universe together in his spaceship named the TARDIS, fighting evil and demanding justice. But BEWARE! For this friend will again become a stranger, but you will find your love for him again after what you see when you change his boxers for him at Christmas. Then again Rose Tyler we shall meet on a clear sunny day…namely, 21st August 2007."  
_

* * *

"Yep." Rose concluded as the Doctor drew back the curtain for her to step through. "Pretty darn accurate." 

"Well, let's see what she's got."

The two stepped into the darkened interior of the scented tent, hush immediately descending on them from more out of the atmosphere than actual anticipation. The Doctor and Rose took a quick glance at each other, almost considering turning around and heading back out of the tent again. But their handgrip just tightened, and the Doctor led both of them into the main section of the tent.

Draped in elaborate red carpets and curtains, with Persian rugs and various severed animal heads lingering around on the floor, the Doctor and Rose felt they were intruding on some kind of royal palace. But sat in the middle of the tent, staring down at a table full of face down Tarot cards, placing a few more in the line.

"Welcome Rose, I have been expecting you," she said, without even looking up. Rose looked at the Doctor again, who just shrugged back in reply. "I see you have found your tall dark stranger. Come and take a seat my dears, let the spirits tell you what will become of you."

Rose gave the Doctor's hand a quick squeeze again before letting go altogether, dropping down into a squishy red beanbag infront of the table, the Doctor following her lead and dropping down into the second beanbag.

"Rose, let us see what the cards have to offer," she said closing her eyes and holding a hand out over the cards, waving back and forth, as if trying to get some sort of radiance from them. "The cards are hazy Rose, perhaps a little donation to the Gods will help clear them…"

Rose sighed, digging onto her pocket for a fistful of change, and with a clang she dropped the coins into the metal plate to her right.

"Thank you Rose…they have become clearer. I can sense something, Rose." Her hand stopped waving back and forth, and her hand stopped over a Tarut Card on the table. She lowered her hand and turned it gently over, revealing a picture of a burning white tower, with people falling from it head first.

"The upright Tower," she said in a smooth voice. "You have recently undergone change. A violent, sudden change of one which you love. But in the end, it was a blessing – enlightenment and freedom."

His regeneration. She was talking about his regeneration.

Her hand turned over another card, this time with a man and a woman looking up to the sun, entitled 'The Lovers'.

"Oh dear, the reversed Lovers is a card of contradiction and internal conflict. The change which you underwent sent you on a difficult decision – but I think Rose, if you had made the wrong decision, none of us would be sitting here right now."

Rose gulped. She was talking about her feelings after the Doctor's regeneration. She had to decide whether to stay with him, or leave him. She didn't dare look at the Doctor.

Another card was flipped over, revealing two sphinxes infront an armoured warrior. 'The Chariot'.

"For the future, you shall overcome life's obstacles and get well deserved victory. A period of struggle shall end in success, with self-control, effort and perseverance. The stars shine brightly down on you, Rose." She looked up for the first time, straight into Rose's eyes, giving her a smile of reassurance. She then turned, and looked at the Doctor.

"Doctor," she began, turning back over the Tarot cards – but then suddenly stopped, staring straight into his eyes. "Tell me Doctor," she began again, suddenly reaching out towards him with a frail old hand, cupping his chin gently and pulling him forwards. "Why is it when I look into your eyes, I see they have not been your eyes for long?"

"…I'm wearing contact lenses…?" he asked, nervously pulling away from her and shuffling backwards slightly, drumming his fingers on the beanbag distractedly.

"Perhaps…" she contemplated, lowering her hand to a card and turning it over. There was a picture of the moon, under which stood two wolves look up into it's drawn face. 'The Moon'.

"Oh dear Doctor," she tutted, shaking her head disapprovingly. "The reversed Moon. You feel the need for secrecy. You need to escape into daydreams to avoid dealing with what is reality. There are hidden forces. Trickery. I see despair, a desperate need for help."

The Doctor swallowed nervously, but didn't move.

"Do you wish to carry on, Doctor?"

He nodded, digging into his own pocket and emerging with a few more coins, tossing them into the plate.

She raised her hand again, flipping over another Tarut Card. 'The Hanged Man'.

"The upright Hanged Man signifies rebirth, sacrificing one thing to obtain another. When circumstances have literally been turned on their head. Transformation."

"Sounds about right," the Doctor swallowed.

"Do you wish for me to carry on, Doctor?"

"…Okay."

The next card to turn over was 'Judgement'.

"Upright Judgement means there will be changes and improvement to your life. Joy in accomplishment of a specific matter or period of life. A truly fortunate card indeed."

She closed her eyes again, hovering over the cards, before diving in, and picking up three cards at the same time. 'Temperance', 'Strength' and 'The Star'.

"For the both of you, the Temperance shows combination, co-operation and co-ordination. Innovation through combination and co-operation. Meaning literally, temperance in the sense of harmony and balance. You are a good team.

"The Strength card shows infinite courage through the power of love. Determination, with strength and power under control, energy and generosity, resolve and reconciliation. A fortunate card indeed.

"The Star brings healing of old wounds, renewal of faith and hope. It shows spiritual love with promise and fulfilment. Vigour and confidence and protection of each other. You two are extremely fortunate to have such a strong connection, I envy you."

She began to clear the cards away gently, leaving just a clear glass ball standing alone in the middle of the table, misting through with some kind of smoke.

"Good luck on your travels, Doctor, Rose," she said as they got up to leave the tent, half overwhelmed by the scented candles. "Your love is so deep it goes beyond anything I have ever seen before. I truly wish you do not separate, for it would bring emotional trauma to so many people."

* * *

The Doctor was last out of the tent, breathing in the fresh air from the summer winds, clasping Rose's hand again, though perhaps a little tighter than normal. 

"A tad too accurate, y'reckon?" Rose suggested mildly, grinning up at him.

"Ah, she got lucky," he sniffed, before leading her back to the midst of the fair, heading straight for the ice-cream van.

**The End**


End file.
